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Chapter 1: New Home, New Friends, New Beginnings
Chapter 1: New Home, New Frends, New Beginnings
The sun shone bright over Ponyville one warm summer day. The birds were singing, the light summer breeze blew throughout the happy little town, and the ponies were out and about, enjoying and taking advantage of the beautiful day they had been given.
That is, except for one colt.
Near the center of the town, a few moving carts stayed for a few moments before leaving the house. It was a rather large looking house that seemed to be suited for a upper-middle class family. In the living room, a beefy pitch black earth pony sat reading a newspaper. "I gotta say, for a small town, they sure do have quite a bit to talk about. Don't you think so, Clair?"
He turned to the kitchen, where a light pink unicorn mare was placing plates in the cabinet. Clair looked back and smiled, saying "Indeed Ob, I think this move would be really beneficial for all of us."
Moving briskly to the couch, Clair nuzzled her husband's cheek. "My sweet Ob Sidian..."
Sidian returned the affection, smiling slightly. "My dear Clair Voyance..."
"UGH!"
The two rolled their eyes, smiling a little. "Our beautiful daughter, High Price."
A firm stomping came from the basement as a curly-maned magenta unicorn entered the living room, huffing. "I can't believe we left Manehatten for this hole!"
"Now Price, this move was necessary. If we stayed, we would not have taken advantage of this wonderful community."
High Price looked away and thought, Yeah, because of my stupid brother...
"I heard that, young mare."
The teenage mare froze, completely forgetting her mother's magic. "Ugh, whatever. I'm going out."
"Can you take your Psi with you? He hasn't left his room for a while!"
"But mooooom!" she whined. "He's going to make me look stupid!! Do I have to?"
"Well, it's either that, or be grounded for 2 weeks for insulting your brother."
"What?!?"
"3 weeks..."
"Okay okay, fine!! I'll... Go get him..." she grumbled, trudging up the stairs. She walked down the hallways, passing through a few rooms until she reached the farthest door, which had a scribbled sign reading "Do Not Enter! Level 3 Bio-Magic Mutation!" Opening the door, she saw the room of her younger brother, Psi Onyx. It was very plain, with a desk, a bed, and a chair facing a window. Psi was currently occupied on the chair looking down at the citizens of Ponyville, eyes darting across the street.
"Hey, squirt. Get your goggles. We're-"
"You want me to go with you into town so you can try and make new friends in this hole, right?"
Price flinched. "Stop! Reading! My mind!"
"I didn't. I just overheard you and mom talking." he gave a little smirk eyeing his big sister.
"Well, then... C'mon. Let's go."
He turned back to the window, smile dropping. "I don't want to..."
"Too bad. You're going."
"I don't want to."
"Okay, I don't have time for this..." High Price began to focus her magic as Psi began to shimmer with a reddish-pink aura. However, the young dark grey colt stayed in place. High began to struggle until her horn fizzled out. "Please, Onyx? What do I gotta do to get you to come with me?"
"... Gimme 10 bits?"
The young mare rolled her eyes and pulled out her bit purse, taking out 10 gold coins and tossed them towards her brother, who did nothing. Instead, the coins were coated in a rich, steely aura, as they floated slowly into a levitating coin sack. Snatching it out of the air, Psi turned to his sister, pushing down his brown-and-black goggles to his eyes.
"Let's go."
The two wandered into the shopping district, which was filled with ponies either doing some shopping, socializing with one another, or getting something to eat. "Alright, shrimp..." Price muttered, stretching her hooves. "I'm going to see what's what in this town. Meet me here in around... Eeehh, I don't know, Three hours. Otherwise-."
"Otherwise I can walk home, yadda yadda yadda. I got it." Suddenly, Psi was grabbed turned turned by her sister. She whispered in his ear. "If you use your stupid powers and we have to move, I will kick your flank into next Tuesday."
She suddenly smiled at him and waved as she trotted away. "Byee~"
Remember, Psi. Next. Tuesday.
Psi let out a sigh and began to walk through the minuscule district, looking around. There were tons of ponies everywhere, each saying various things and, thanks to his mind, thinking various things. Just walking through the area made her head hurt. Ugh, I wish I could control this damn brain... It hurts to even think... He rubbed his temple slowly, trying his best to look around. He saw a number of fillies and colts entering a very sweet-themed looking shop. Focusing on nearby ponies, he eventually got what he was looking for.
"Sugar... Cube... Corner..." He panted, wiping the sweat from his brow. Walking towards the place, he suddenly felt a huge presence inside the building. Woah... he thought. That was some heavy stuff... I wonder if...
He focused really hard on pinpointing the source of the massive energy. He focused hard on it, inching closer and closer. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground, dazed and confused, a flurry of colors dancing in front of his face.
Oh... Geez... Confusion...
"Hhhhheeeeeyyyy...." A voice passed through his ears slowly.
Can't remember... Where I am...
"Yyyyyyooouuuuu alllllrrriiiiighhht?..."
Focus... On... The voices...
"Hey! Can you hear me??"
"Huh? What? Where?" He looked around and saw three fillies looking down at him. "Oh. Uh... Hi. Give me a moment." He got up slowly, removing his goggles and revealing his black pearly eyes. "Sorry, I was, uh... Distracted."
"Yeah, what happened?" The orange pegasus to his right said. "We heard some bang noise, and when we looked outside, you were on the ground. Did someone hit you?"
"Oh, uh... No, I don't think so..." Psi rubbed his forehead, seeing a small amount of soot. "Huh. Maybe someone did. I know I didn't rub ashes on my face."
The white unicorn giggled. "Well, it sure looks like they went with a bang!"
Psi snickered a moment before coughing and looking up. "I'm Psi Onyx, by the way. Ponies call me Psi."
"Howdy, Psi!" The green earth filly said. "I'm Apple Bloom! This here's Sweetie Belle..." She motioned to the white filly, who smiled and waved. "And Scootaloo!" She pointed to the orange filly, who waved with a smile, saying, "'Sup?"
"Well... It's really good to meet you all. Are you guys uh..." he stammered a moment. "D-Doing anything?"
"We were about to get some milkshakes," Apple Bloom spoke. "Wanna join us?"
"S-Sure. Uh... That sounds nice." Psi smiled awkwardly, following the three into the sweet shop. The one thing he noticed before entering was a surprising lack of voices, only the sound of ringing in his ears.
"So, you're from Manehatten?"
"Mhmm."
"Have you ever heard of Babs Seed? She's my cousin."
"I... Don't think so. Sounds kind of familiar, though."
"Where did you get your cool goggles?"
"Oh, I uh... got them from my dad. He runs a stone mining and shipping business."
"Wow!" Scootaloo whistled. "But... What's with the tint? Doesn't that make it hard to see in the dark?"
"Oh, well..." Psi unscrewed the ends of the goggles, taking off the tint lenses of them. "They're detachable. I use them when it's really bright outside, like today."
"Wow!" Scootaloo took the lenses, looking through them. "These might really be useful if I used them when I'm on my scooter."
"Oh, you have a scooter?" Psi took a sip of his milkshake.
"Yep. I'm the fastest around."
"Heh, I bet." Psi looked at the clock on the shop and jumped up. "Oh no! I'm late! I was supposed to meet my sister for us to walk back home!! She probably left already!!"
The girls looked at each other before grinning in a determined manner at Psi Onyx. "We'll get you there!!" Apple Bloom shouted.
"Really?" The colt looked at the three. "How?"
Psi was holding onto dear life as Scootaloo drove her scooter, with a red wagon attached to the back where the other three were riding. The orange filly kept accelerating as Psi looked around, pointing to where they needed to go.
"Left!... Right!... Keep going!... LOOK OUT!"
Scootaloo suddenly hit a small rock, causing the wagon to jump up. Apple Bloom and Psi managed to stay in, but Sweetie Belle was sent flying into the air. Scootaloo came to a screeching halt.
"Sweetie Belle!"
Just then, Psi jumped out of the wagon and held his hoof out. Sweetie Belle fell straight down, only to be caught by something very light. When she opened her eyes, she did not see a pony catching her, but instead a translucent dark grey aura in the shape of a dragon claw. She looked forward and saw Psi desperately holding his hoof out as he slowly lowered it down to the ground, the aura fading as soon as it reached the ground. Psi took several deep breaths. His face was covered in sweat, his breathing was rather fast, and he looked extremely exhausted. Sweetie Belle blinked. Did... she thought. Did that just happen?
The CMC quickly ran over to Psi to check on him, Sweetie Belle being the first to speak up. "Psi, are you okay?" she asked. "Did... Did you catch me using magic?"
"I... I..." he started to say before running off. "I'm sorry!!" He dashed with such speed and desperation, it was clear that he didn't want to be seen at that moment. He ran so fast, yet his mind was clear as day, quickly filling with the thoughts of surrounding ponies.
I can't believe it... he thought. I thought I could stop it this time!!... Why can't I control myself?? What's wrong with me?...
Psi... A separate voice entered his head. You're home.
The colt stopped for a moment and turned to his left. Sure enough, there was his new house. Not wasting any time, he burst through the doors and ran straight into his room, not bothering to give his parents any attention. He looked at his door decoration and shed a tear before slamming it shut and laying on his bed, hiding his head under the pillow.
Chapter 2: First Day of School
Chapter 2: First Day of School
Psi took a deep breath as he stood atop the skyscraper, the winds blowing rather quickly through his hair. He gazed down the side of the building to see the ponies walking through the streets, appearing as tiny as ants to him. The grey colt smiled brightly. He loved being here. being on top of the city. He never wanted to go back down. Suddenly, he heard a large roar, forcing Psi to turn around. His pupils shrunk as he gaze witness to the thing he feared most. The beast that has plagued his dreams for as long as he could remember having dreams. A large transparent dragon began flying towards the skyscraper Psi stood on. He panicked, backing up quickly as the gargantuan creature came closer and closer to its target. It opened its large maw.
PSI ONYX
"No! No no no!" Psi exclaimed as he continued to run back. "No no- Woah!" The young colt suddenly fell back as he plummeted down into the streets at breakneck speeds. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!" He looked down, seeing the ground getting closer and closer. He looked back up. The dragon was also getting closer and closer.
What do I do?? Psi thought. Think, Psi! Think!! Psi closed his eyes, focusing on his possible strategies. Unbeknownst to him, his eyes began to radiate with a smooth, circular, and dark grey energy. The energy poured out in ripples, causing the entire scene to slow down to a crawl. The dragon came inches from consuming his prey when Psi's forehead suddenly began to glow. A single eye cracked open, and the entire scene vanished in a flash.
The sun cracked through the window of Psi's room, Celestia's rays bathing the colt in a flowing, warm light. His eyelid twitched a moment before letting out a yawn and opening his eyes and shielding his vision. Both his brain and his heart were pounding as he thought about his nightmare. That dragon... he thought. I hate that dragon...
"Psi!!" He heard his mother called. "Time for breakfast!!"
He rubbed his face, taking a deep breath before slipping out of bed. "Psi, did you hear me?"
"Yes, mom! I'll be there!!" He called out as he opened his door. He wandered down the hall and descended to the first floor, where the warm smell of eggs and hay was ever present. Psi turned to the dining hall, where the rest of his family were eating their meals with relative happiness. He took a seat at the end of the rectangular table , and a plate with cooked stripes of hay and two sunny-side-up eggs. Without saying a word, he began to dig into the meal, though to him, it was just sustenance entering his body. He didn't taste anything in the meal. Ob looked at his son with a straight face before speaking in his deep, gruff voice. "Son, yesterday your mother enrolled you in school. Today will be your first day of class."
Psi stopped shoveling eggs into his mouth to look up, his mouth still filled with breakfast. "Hmm?"
Clair stepped in. "I know you aren't particularly happy about it, but we figured that perhaps you would fit in more here than at your... Old school.
The mention of Psi's previous school sent unpleasant thoughts through his head. He swallowed the food in his mouth. "Are you... Sure I have to go?"
"Forget it, squirt," High Price intercepted. "They're making me get a job, too. We don't have a choice."
Psi let out a little groan. "Okay... When's school?"
"In about two hours," Clair stated. "I'll give you directions." As she finished her plate, she got up and walked over to her son, her horn glowing. Closing his eyes, Psi allowed his mother to place her horn on his forehead to send the information directly into his mind. He blinked.
"Wow, it's a bit far," he mused. "I should probably get ready." Once he cleared his plate, he went over to the kitchen sink and placed his dishes in before running off to do his daily routine. Once he brushed his teeth and his black bedhead of a mane, he grabbed his saddlebags and his goggles and headed out the door. "Bye Mom! Bye Dad!"
"Wait!" Psi turned around, seeing his mother holding a tin lunchbox. "Oh, thanks mom!" He said, taking the lunchbox and placing it in his saddlebag before running off to his first day of school.
"Goodbye, son!" His mom and dad waved. "Stay safe!"
Psi Onyx reached the school just as the young ponies were entering the schoolhouse. Some came alone, just as he had, while others had come with older ponies, possibly older siblings or even parents. Since his brain was back to full awareness, Psi could once again hear every thought that was within his range.
I hope he has a good day at school...
I can't wait to show Pipsqueak the new toy I got!!
I wonder if I have enough pencils?
Wait... Is that Psi? He's going to school with us?
Psi blinked. He recognized that last one. Was that... he began thinking, trying to remember the name of the pony he saved yesterday. Sweetie Belle?
I don't think he's noticed us. Maybe we can surprise him!
He began to look around, trying to pinpoint Sweetie Belle's location. Suddenly, through the corner of his eye, he spotted not just her, but Apple Bloom and Scootaloo as well, all heading towards him. Psi gave a small smile. "Hey, guys! You all go to school here to?"
Sweetie Belle smiled as she nodded. "Yep! Though..." She looked at Psi. "How did you know hear us coming? We were trying to be super quiet."
Psi blinked, his facial expression remaining cool and collected, yet inside he was starting to panic a bit. "O-Oh? I don't know, I... I guess I just had a hunch."
"Uh-huh," Apple Bloom gave a playful smirk, nudging him. "Was that 'hunch' how you saved Sweetie Belle?"
Psi began to feel flushed as he quickly looked away. "W-W-What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about..."
Scootaloo smiled. "Oh c'mon. I thought that was some cool magic you did! How do you do it?"
Psi said nothing in response. He looked down at the ground for an extended period of time, letting the petering flow of voices fill his mind. Should I tell them?... Is it... Safe? At this point, the three's smiles were wiped away and replaced with a look of concern. Sweetie Belle was the first to intercede.
"You don't... Have to tell us. We were just curious." At that moment, the stone grey colt looked at them with a rather serious look.
"How about this? If you three can promise not to say anything about what happened yesterday for the day... I'll explain the deal with the magic. Okay?"
The three exchanged a look that would've been like basic confirmation to the three, though Psi already knew what they were thinking. The three of them nodded in unison. "Deal!"
The young colt nodded. "Alright." He turned towards the schoolhouse, saying "See you guys in class," before trotting away into the school. Apple Bloom placed her hoof on her chin. "Somethin's fishy here. What's he hiding?"
Scootaloo shrugged. "We'll find out after class." Sweetie Belle said nothing, but instead simply stared as she watched her newest friend enter the small building. He's really... Interesting... And... Cool...
"You okay, Sweetie Belle?"
She blinked. "Huh? Yeah, I'm fine. Just... Thinking."
"Oh yeah?" Scootaloo smiled. "Thinking about Psi?"
"N-No!!" Sweetie Belle blushed. "S-Shut it!" With that, the white unicorn bolted into the building, Sccotaloo giggling and yelling, "Wait, wait! I'm sorry!! I was just kidding!!" Apple Bloom rolled her eyes and followed closely behind, thinking that today may be a strange day.
Psi's fist day of school started off rather slow. After being introduced to the class, he took a seat behind Sweetie Belle. The class's lessons consisted of learning of some math, some writing, and a portion of it was devoted to science, which he especially found cool. By the time lunch had come around, though, the colt was too focused on his ever-growing hunger to fully remember everything that he had just learned. Taking out his shiny tin lunchbox, he flipped open the switches to see what was inside. He saw an alfalfa-and-tomato sandwich cut diagonally, apple slices wrapped in a cloth to preserve it, a box of orange juice, and a small thermos. He took the thermos and opened it. I hope it's... he looked inside and smelled the warm fragrance of tomatoes and oregano. Yes! Tomato soup! Thank you, mom!! He poured a small amount into the thermos lid and began to dig into his meal. As he did, his memory of the classes were a bit more clear.
Multiply 12 by 12... Get 144... Cursive writing connects letters... Gravity hurts. he thought as he voraciously ate his meal. I forgot how much learning makes me hungry. Guess I haven't been learning much lately. As he punched his straw into his juice box and sip from it, he heard the flow of thoughts entering his mind once more. He let out a sigh, wishing there was just one moment where he could both be full and have a clear head. Nevertheless, he continued to drink from his juice, he listened to the thoughts of his classmates. It was the usual thoughts fillies and colts would have, so he didn't pay it much mind. That was, until he found a thought that was directed towards him.
Wow, that new kid is super weird! He eats like a pig and he keeps looking at other ponies!!
Searching for its source, he soon found an earth pony with both a small diamond crown and matching cutie mark eyeing him through her peripherals. She was a slightly richer strain of pink from his mother, with lavender and white hair and light blue eyes. She whispered to (presumably) her friend, a fellow earth pony with a grey coat, silver hair, and a similarly snobbish demeanor. Although he couldn't hear what they were talking about, their thoughts were open to Psi, who quickly gathered their names, their personalities (which, to Psi's expectation, was very basic), and who was in charge. He smirked. Sometimes, there are benefits to having a big, big brain. He pat his own head. Thank you brain. The Crusaders approached the desk of their newest friend, Apple Bloom saying. "Hey, Psi!! Wanna go hang out?"
Psi looked at them, slurping down the remnants of his juice. "Ahh..." he said in relief. "Sure. I guess you guys can fill me in."
Apple Bloom blinked. "What do you mean?"
"You know, names of people, what they do... That kind of thing."
"Oh! Well... I guess we can do that."
"... There's no real order in this school, is there?"
"Nnno..." Apple Bloom shook her head. "Is that... Bad?"
Psi said nothing, entering his train of thought. No order... Freedom from everything... From... the Food Chain...
"Uhh, Psi... You're spacing out again. You okay?"
"Yes!!" he shouted, throwing off not only the CMC, but for anyone in earshot. He started to run outside. "C'mon, let's do something fun!!"
The three simply blinked and giggled, following closely behind.
"So, your school had a bully problem?" Apple Bloom inquired as she passed their pink-and-white ball to Psi.
"Well..." he muttered as he kicked it to Scootaloo. "Bully is being nice. They were monsters. See, the teachers weren't around a lot, so the... Bullies all came together and made a group that took over the school... They even had a name... The..." he shivered a bit. "Food Chain."
Sweetie Belle looked at her new companion and, seeing the distress in his eyes by the sheer mention of this "Food Chain", gave him a smile. "Well, you can be happy knowing that there isn't anypony like that in our school!!" Psi looked up hopeful, but a call from the distance twisted his face into a sort of grimace.
"Hey, losers!!"
Oh Celestia, not her again...
Oh Celestia, not her again...
Oh Celestia, not her again...
He turned to see the two ponies from lunch approaching the group, an arrogant air surrounding their tiny forms. Psi adjusted his hair and turned his back on the group, pushing his goggles to his eyes. Ponies getting close, he thought, rubbing his chin a bit. Should try to play it cool until they take the bait.
"So, I see you have another blank flank to keep you dorks company!" the pink filly known as Diamond Tiara proclaimed. "Too bad, he could have been one of the cool foals!"
"Go away, Tiara," Apple Bloom said, looking at her. "Blank flank isn't even a good insult anymore."
"Pfft, whatever," the bratty filly rolled her eyes as she began to approach the new colt. "I guess it really stinks that you're already stuck with these losers, when you could have been with us!!"
Psi had remained silent the whole time, head towards the ground as if he were looking very intensely for something. The three fillies watched as he picked up his head and said, "Diamond Tiara. Silver Spoon."
The two brats blinked. "Uh... Yeah?"
"Thought so. Both your family's very rich. I think that's why you both are so bratty."
"Excuse me?!?" Diamond Tiara huffed, moving closer to the brash colt. "Who do you think you are, saying stuff like that to me?!?"
Psi turned his head slowly towards her, his goggles being the only means of obscuring his eyes to Diamond Tiara. "Oh? You think I'm wrong? You two probably think you're so great, thinking money and class are everything. Well, let me tell you..."
He slowly removed his goggles, revealing two eyes as black as coal, but as shiny as well polished pearls. They began to spill out a minimal amount of his energy, which gave the appearance that his eyes were smoking. Diamond was either not phased, nor didn't notice the small energy leak. "You two are awful excuses for ponies. Oh, and you..." Psi gave Silver Spoon, who had noticed the energy and had a look of distress on her face, a look which caused her to flinch back a bit. "You could do so much better than this loser."
Diamond Tiara growled and tried to move forward, but a hoof stopped her from going any further. Silver Spoon looked at her friend, saying, "Don't do this, Diamond. He's not worth it."
Diamond growled. Seriously, Silver? I want to hit this colt!! Psi smiled, but then looked at her tiara. Looking at the shine from it made him feel a bit... Lethargic. He quickly turned away, not noticing the energy spilling was slowly dissipating and causing his appearance to be normal. "Leave us alone. Now."
After a few moments, he turned back and saw them trotting away. He let out a breath, rubbing his head. That was intense... What was up with that crown thingy...? Shaking his head to clear his mind of the light fog that had rolled in his mind, he looked at the CMC, who looked at Psi both impressed and a bit concerned.
"Are ya'll alright, Psi?" Apple Bloom asked. "Ya look like you got a headache."
"Yeah..." he muttered. "I do, but... Ugh, It's fine. I'm okay."
"You didn't have to worry about her," Sweetie Belle said, "She's a bully, but if you ignore her, she's not a problem."
"Thanks..." Psi muttered. "I'll... Keep that in mind." Psi looked back at the filly who was previously taunting him. His headache faded as she went farther from him. Suddenly, she stopped, turning to him and giving him a look of hatred and malice. Psi did not respond, but simply secured his goggles back onto his eyes. Her eyes... So angry, but... She seems a bit sad... The sound of the school bell diverted his attention, as Ms. Cheerilee stood in front of the door. "Time for class children!!" she shouted, which had caused the fillies and colts to move towards the school. The four foals moved along with the groups. The grey colt entered the building, determined to keep his eye on this Diamond Tiara and learn some more about her besides the fact that she's a rich bully. Just try to keep yourself calm, Psi... An outburst might land me in a pile of horse apples...
The school day ended as uneventfully as it had started. With just a few lessons that Psi had only focused half of his attention on, the time went by rather quickly as soon, all of the school children left for their homes. Psi sighed, adjusting the goggles on his forehead and looking up at the sky. The sun's rays beat on his face, giving him a feeling of refreshment and inner happiness. It's time to tell them. The Cutie Mark Crusaders ran up to the colt, each of them with a big smile on their faces. Psi looked at them for several moments before giving them a smile back, though one of comparatively smaller length.
"So... You all want to know about yesterday, huh?"
The three nodded.
"Hmm... Walk with me to my house, and I'll tell you." He turned and started walking towards the town. They exchanged a look before following closely. For a little while, Psi said nothing, instead looking straight ahead at the road, every once in a while, slowing down and looking around. Eventually, he made a full stop and took a deep breath before turning around and speaking four words.
"I am a psychic."
The three looked in shock as Psi pushed his goggles back on his eyes and began to focus. Two disembodied grey-transparent dragon claws began to form out of of nothing, floating in the air as if by magic. Psi moved his head from side to side, the dragon claws soaring around his head. Eventually, the claws vanished, and Psi took several deep breaths. Okay, they said nothing... he thought, sliding his goggles upward. I hope this didn't freak them-.
"That was awesome!!"
Out. He looked at Scootaloo. "Y-You really think so?..."
Apple Bloom jumped up. "Yeah!! How do you do that??"
"Well..." Psi rubbed his head. "I don't... Really know..."
They looked confused.
"See, I've had these powers since I was a little foal," he chuckled, moving back towards town. "The doctors say it's because I got the brain of a unicorn, or something... It never really makes sense."
Psi walked up a small bridge peering down the creek. "It's nothing really. All I can really do is make those dragon claws and read ponies' minds."
Sweetie Belle blinked. "You can... Read other ponies' minds?..."
He nodded. "Mhmm. It's how I knew who Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were. But... I can't really control that. I keep hearing every brain around me. It..." he let out a tiny sigh. "It can get annoying."
Sweetie Belle looked at the stony colt. At one point, she was kind of envious of his cool powers that she didn't even have. On the other hand, she thought about how much of a pain it would be to always hear voices nonstop. Placing a hoof on his shoulder, she said, "Maybe you can learn to control it. There are a lot of ponies here." Suddenly a thought came to mind as she turned to her friends. "Ooo, maybe he can ask Princess Twilight!!" The other two looked at each other, nodding in excitement, while Psi looked in confusion. "Princess Twilight? DO you mean the Princess of Friendship? She lives here?"
"Yeah!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed. "She helped teach us stuff! Maybe if you ask, she can help you."
Psi thought about it, giving a small shrug. "I guess... But she might be very busy... I wouldn't want to bother her."
"Aww, don't worry about that!!" Apple Bloom wrapped her hoof around the colt. "She's always willing to help a pony in need!!"
He looked at the three as he reached the home stretch of his home. These girls really think Princess Twilight can help me... Maybe I can give it a shot later... As the group reached Psi's house, he stopped dead in his tracks, his pupils shrinking as he felt something very familiar in his house. That... That energy... It's back!! He turned to the girls. "Okay, don't panic, but there is a huge amount of energy in my house right now, and I think my family might be in trouble."
They looked at him with looks of fear and worry. Psi continued. "I'm going inside. If you hear screaming, get help."
Apple Bloom shook her head. "We ain't leaving ya here alone!"
"You don't understand, psychic energy is very dangerous. It can be worse than unicorn magic-."
"We don't care!" Sweetie Belle said. "You're our friend. And we won't let you fight alone."
"Yeah!" Scootaloo held out her hoof. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders never leave anypony behind!!"
The other two placed their hooves out. "You guys..." Psi said with a smile, putting his hoof out. "Okay. Just... Be careful."
They all nodded and followed closely behind as Psi moved slowly towards the door. He opened the door only to see pitch darkness. The energy was getting bigger and bigger until Psi found the light switch and flipped it on.
"SURPRISE!!"
Psi blinked. His house was filled with ponies of all ages, his house decorated head-to-toe with balloons, streamers, and various party supplies.
"Well..." Psi confessed. "I have to admit. I didn't see this coming."
Chapter 3: Confusion and Cupcakes
Chapter 3: Confusion and Cupcakes
Psi looked throughout his new home, his mind racing a bit as he sensed the number of people in his home, and worst of all, their thoughts entering his mind. The colt shut his eyes in pain; He could hear everything, and it was giving him a massive headache. His brain throbbed, feeling overloaded from the overflowing capacity his mind could handle when suddenly, the smell of sugar to his snout seemed to ease that pain and slowed down his throbbing. His eyes slowly creaked open to see a cupcake, frosted in a light red frosting and strawberry sticking at the top. In one swift movement, he grabbed the cupcake and ate it like a savage, the CMC as well as a few party guests watching as he voraciously tore through the cupcake. He swallowed the strawberry in one final gulp, sighing as he managed to compose himself. He blinked a bit as he looked up at the kind pony who fed him such a soothing and tasty treat. He was met by a big smile surrounded in pink, a mane and tail resembling fluffy clouds made of cotton candy, and big, blue eyes that shimmered with joy and energy. He didn't have too much time to react before he was swept in a massive, bone-crushing hug and a flurry of words.
"Omygoshomhygoshomygosh! Welcome to Ponyville, PsiPsi! Auntie Clair told me you guys were coming and I wanted to give you the official Ponyville welcome party!! Do ya like it??"
The colt stared at the pink pony talking in a rapid manner, feeling his brain throb and become cluttered as she talked on and on. Just like...
"Okay, Pinkie. That's enough." Psy looked up as the mare was lifted off of him, his vision focusing on the kind-looking face of his mother. Clair giggled a bit and looked up at this... Pinkie, saying, "Why don't you get some of the festivities started? Psy will join up, don't worry." Pinkie gave an affirmative nod and chirped, "Okay, Auntie Claire!" before dashing off to one of the many party games set up.
Psi was picked up and dusted off by his mother, his mind trying to recover from the onslaught of chaotic mental energy as he sputtered out some nonsense. The Crusaders looked in concern, Scootaloo poking him in his slightly derped out expression. "I-Is he alright?..." Sweetie Belle muttered, to which Psi's mother giggled and placed her horn on his head, a light surrounding his head.
"No worries. He's just suffering from a bout of confusion. It'll wear off in a few moments."
"TheE ballOONs aRe tUrnING the SnoWconES inTO froGSs!!"
"Don't worry, dear. The snowcones will be fine. Here, have some cake." A few bites of cake entered the colt's mouth and slowly, his mental state seemed to return to him. He blinked and looked around.
"Wait, where am I?"
Applebloom chimed in. "You're atta party! Seems like Pinkie Pie wanted to throw ya'll a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party!"
"Pinkie Pie? Who's that?"
They blinked, slightly confused. Scootaloo perked up. "You know, the pink mare, frizzy mane? Made you say something about... Balloons and frogs? Or something."
He shook his head, rubbing it. "I uhhh... I forgot." He blushed sheepishly as Clair patted his shoulder, giving him a loving smile as she pointed to the wild mare in the crowd. "You remember cousin Pinkie, right? She was at your fourth birthday and she threw you an amazing party?"
He blinked a bit. He recalled a vague memory with a similarly vague sense of disorientation and sugary concoctions. He tapped his hoof on the ground in realization. "Ohhhh! I remember now! She always gives me a headache."
"Now now, just because she emits large amounts of cognitive distorting energy doesn't mean you should be rude. Now, you four have fun! I'll be looking for your sister. I get the sneaking suspicion she tried to run off again." She sighed and wandered off, leaving the four at the party. Psi turned to his new friends and spoke. "S-So... What should we do first...?"
&&&
Parties weren't usually Psi Onyx's forte, mainly due to never being invited to parties in the first place. Those he ended up in were usually weird adult parties that his parents were invited to and usually ended with him lighting something on fire or a cake being launched in a face. Thankfully, he had friends this time. He learned to play party games, he tried Pinkie's amazing cupcakes, and he even made more friends from school who thought his psychic abilities like some cool superpower. It was such an alien experience, that the only thing he could do was burst with happiness, which caused his body to radiate light. As he shone like a star, Applebloom approached Clair, who had just come back downstairs.
"Ummm... Ms. Voyance? Can I ask ya a question? Somethin' was buggin' me."
"Hmmm? Oh, of course, Applebloom."
"Wait, how did-?" She stopped herself as she already knew the answer to the question. "N-Nevermind. Ah was just wonderin'... Is Pinkie really Psi's cousin? Does that mean Psi's dad is a Pie or is it like with mah family and the Pies?"
"Ahhh, I see," She giggled and took some punch, swirling it around. "No, Pinkie isn't my actual niece. However, Siddy and I were... Involved in the study and protection of colts and mares who displayed very strong psychic powers, and we were once tasked with helping take care of Pinkie."
"Wait... Pinkie's psychic??" Applebloom looked genuinely taken aback by that. "Ah mean, ah figured she musta had some kinda magic to do the crazy things she did, but..."
"Well, of course. It's a bit difficult to explain, but it probably has to do with something in her past that caused her such strong emotions that her mind just... Blossomed. Ever since then, she'd been able to hold a lot of chaotic mental potential." She took a bite of a cookie. "Of course, when she declared her mission to spread cheer across Equestria, we needed to find a way to keep her more secure in a location so we could learn how her brain works. That... Took a while, however." She chuckled as she recalled the number of candidates who quit after less than a month. "Anyways, while we're here, I'm hoping that Psi will learn how to use his powers properly and make more friends. And that's why I'm happy to speak with you." She turned and smiled at Applebloom. "You're a very ingenious girl, Applebloom. You always work hard to help ponies with their problems. I thank you for helping my friend."
Applebloom blinked in confusion. How could she have known that much about me? Was she... She looked over at the mare, who moved a lock of her shimmering silver mane aside and watched her son play with some of the school children, giving a soft smile. She stepped in my head so easily... she pondered, looking where she looked. I wish I knew what she was thinking 'bout me...
I think you're destined for great things...
She looked back at her in a bit of surprise but smiled. She was a very nice pony and a very good mom. Maybe she was like that too...
&&&
Eventually, the party began to wind down, and as ponies poured out, Ob began to clean up the mess. "Siddy, dear..." Claire approached her husband, throwing trash away in a bag. "We've got this. You don't need to worry about it."
"No no, I got it," he said as he moved with his mouth, puffing his chest up with a smirk. "I'm not out of action just yet."
"No, but you're going to be if you strain your body too much." She tried to swipe the bag, but Ob gripped it hard, holding it up high and out of her reach.
"I'll be fine. I'm not going to collapse from picking up trash. Just relax and help me out."
Claire scrunched up her nose and lit up her horn, focusing on Ob and gazing into his eyes with absolute concentration. Ob, in turn, stared right back with a deadpan expression. They shared this intense stare-off for 10 minutes before Claire's horn eventually gave out, with her sitting and breathing out a sigh of defeat. Ob smirked and pressed his nose against hers. "Good try again, dear. Still not happening any time soon. My mind is as hard as a rock."
"No, a rock I can crack. Your brain is harder than that. Seriously, what did they teach you??"
He just smiled and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll tell you when you can crack through my mind."
"Jerk..." she muttered with a smile as she got up, tossing a few pieces of trash into the bag. Meanwhile, Psi grumbled in the kitchen as he was put into a pink apron and was scrubbing the dishes alongside Pinkie.
"Don't you have any boy's colors...?"
"Nope! I left those at home!"
"I saw you take out a cannon out of your head a while ago!" Psi pointed to the curly mane in complete confusion. "You know how to get it!"
Pinkie's response was to giggle and pat his head with a wet hoof, causing him to shake his dampened mane. "Silly Psi-Psi! Using powers for something like that is kinda pointless, don't ya think?"
"What..." He looked at Pinkie in utter bewilderment. "What are you talking about?" To which her reaction was to smile and pat him. "Oh, I'll explain it later! It's not that important right now, I think." Psi shrugged and looked over at the disorganized chairs, each one trembling and quickly being stacked up into rows. Pinkie piped up excitedly, "Wow! You've gotten really good! It's gonna be really exciting to teach you more powers!"
That comment was enough to throw off the colt's concentration, a number of chairs stumbling about. "Wait, what?"
"Hehe, didn't your mom tell you?~ I'm one of your teachers!"
Psi shifted in place in discomfort. He knew of the Princess of Friendship and saw her immense powers. It only made sense to ask her for help. The prospect of Pinkie teaching him made him... Nervous. Pinkie tilted her head with a smile, this one a bit more unsettling than the others. "Ohhhh, I see. You think I'm not good enough!"
"W-What? N-No!" Psi stuttered as he immediately started barricading his mind. This didn't do much as Pinkie leaned in, her pearly blues meeting his shimmering greys and grinning. "Tell ya what! Why don't we take a break from working and have ourselves a bit of fun?~ A little test to see if you reeeally need me as a teacher!"
W-Wait wait, I-!"
"Auntie Claaairie~ Can we do a little practice in the backyaaard~?"
"Just be careful, please! If you seriously injure him or his brain, we're going to have words, missy!!"
"Okie dokie!"
Hey!" Psi stomped his hoof down, causing a small tremor as the faint grey aura he possessed slowly engulfed him, turning red in the process. "I won't fight you!! I don't wanna fight anyone!! I just wanna make friends and learn like a normal pony!! I hate these stupid powers!! Just sto-!!"
"Quick!! Think fast!!" Psi's rant was cut short when Pinkie seemed to explode in a mass of pink-green energy, surrounding Psi in a colorful fog. His mind started warping, and he stumbled around as it slowly engulfed him...
&&&
When the colt came to his senses, his entire world was completely changed. The ground was rubbery, the trees looked as if they were made of candy, his house looked like a gingerbread home, and the pink. Oh GOD, was everything so damn pink. He couldn't explain it, but the color was aggravating him and made focusing harder. Just then, the sounds of Pinkie's telltale giggle could be heard.
"The game is simple! Whoever pins the down first in a psychic grip wins!!" , she called out before her voice vanished like an echo in the wind. He looked around, trying his best to focus, but with all of the sights and sounds, his brain simply screamed, causing him to let out a roar, nearby objects being set alight. The sounds of high-pitched screams as some nearby shrubbery disintegrated into ashes, and Psi would just keep charging around, the ethereal disembodied claws showing up and slashing at various giggling objects.
"Rrrrrgh..." His irritation grew as he fired kinetic shots at any nearby sound, but nothing was hitting. Just then, his vision was clouded by a bright, fluffy concoction. Shouting in surprise, he rubbed at his face to get the creamy mess off, only to be hit by a rush of psychic energy. He stumbled around, using his will to try and fight back, but without his vision, it was only a matter of time before he was hoisted in the air.
"H-Hey!! No fair!!" He flailed and tried to focus on the source, but the second he did, his brain got scrambled, sending his flames in separate directions before dying out completely. He flew about, soon meeting the ground with a THUD! , as he found himself caught under some kind of weight. He flailed about, but Pinkie's voice one out.
"Three! Two! One!" The sound of a bell echoed as the world around him shifted again. The pink fever dream he found himself in was gone, replaced by his backyard with burnt bushes, broken objects, and Pinkie Pie sitting on his back, a coy smile on her face. "Hehehe, you're not bad! You almost had me a couple times! Buuuut..." She booped his nose and giggled. "You just couldn't see past all my energy!"
Psi looked down a bit, feeling dejected at his loss. It felt... Weird. Pinkie noticed his expression and quickly hopped off of him, helping him up and dusting him off. "B-But don't worry! We're gonna help you get loads better at using your powers."
His ears perked up. "Wait... We?"
"Pfffsh, well duh!~ You think I was going to be your only teacher?~ Don't worry, Twilight has this all set up! You just need to show up at the castle tomorrow after school, like Twilight told me to tell you!" She reached in her mane and pulled out a watch, looking at it and jumping up. "Oh shoot! I need to finish cleaning up and head back to Sugarcube Corner! I gotta watch Pound and Pumpkin!" With that, she zoomed back inside to complete their chores, leaving her soon-to-be student alone in the backyard. He slumped back on the ground, looking up at the perfect blue sky. He was finally having a train of thought again, and his mind began to ask questions. Who were the other teachers? The Elements of Harmony? Somepony else? What was going to happen? Why did he need to learn to be better with his powers? Did she mean, more in control, or something else? And most importantly...
"Wait, what was the point of ANY of that???"
Author's Note
MeadowBrook-Pytha Center for Unusual Mental Aptitude
Report #[INFORMATION EXPUNGED]
Name: Pinkamena Diane "Pinkie" Pie
Reported Incident(s): Multiple reports of traces of warped mental energy, leading to large gatherings of ponies. Numerous victims were left with altered states of reality, normally to a more positive outlook. More extreme cases have found some left impaired in a state of perpetual confusion. Subject was apprehended on a train headed towards Canterlot and taken to the facility. Origin case seemed to reach her previous home following immediately after Incident SR-763.
Research: Upon further examination, it seems that the ensuing incident had acted as the Trigger Phase of Ms. Pie, leading to a drastic alteration in her mental capacity. Brain scans have shown an odd behavioral pattern which explains her rather erratic and random personality. While she isn't as capable of channeling negative emotions into concentrated projectiles or physically lifting objects, she seems to use her psychic talents to alter the perception of what we see versus what she is actually doing. This is mostly on account of her innate ability to confuse opponents by scrambling their sensory nerves. Doctors have described it as a landscape of a filly's dreams, and yet something seemed unsettling the whole way through. As far as standard psychic abilities, she seems to lack the ability to properly focus her negative energy into proper attacks. ~~Further testing is required.~~ No further testing must be performed in this area. All forms of NCS testing on subject are henceforth forbidden after Incidents CC-1-21.
Final Conclusion
Positive Cognitive Strength: 7/10
Excels in: Perception Distortion, Emotional Alteration
Resolution: Establishment Within New Home, under the eye of Agent C. Currently operating as an Eye & Ear Agent in Ponyville.
I am so sorry for vanishing. Between my sudden move to getting back into university, I haven't been as active with writing as I'd like. In truth, this was my biggest hobby and I have been neglecting it for education and the hopes of a decent career. I'll try to write more often, at least a couple hundred words a day or so in order to get better at pumping these out. Hopefully, the hiatus isn't fully over, at least the posts should come with a bit more frequency.